This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: vertebrae 44-46; dorsal-fin rays 76-84; anal-fin rays 64-71, lateral-line scales 83-95; on the ocular surface, a series of 6 incomplete, diamond-shaped crossbands that are widest in their mid-sections and wider than respective interspaces between crossbands, and small, brown spots scattered in the interspaces between these crossbands; 3 crossbands on the head; 2 white spots in longitudinal series along the midline of the ocular-side body; 2 elongated ocular side pectoral-fin rays of nearly equal length or with the second fin ray longer than the first; small scales present on bases and proximal halves of elongated ocular-side pectoral-fin rays (Ref. 76812).